Cost-saving Option Research Articles

Cost-effectiveness of outpatient COVID-19 antiviral treatment with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir versus usual care in Swedish patients with various risk factors

Aims Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NMV/r) is an orally administered antiviral indicated for the outpatient treatment of adult patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 at high risk for disease progression to severe illness. We estimated the cost-effectiveness of NMV/r versus best supportive care for 54 patient cohorts, specified according to age, vaccination status and comorbidity burden. Materials and Methods A previously published and validated cost-effectiveness model was utilized and adapted to the Swedish setting. The model used a short-term decision-tree (1 year) followed by a lifetime 2-state Markov model. The short-term decision-tree captured costs and outcomes associated with the primary infection. Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome was only considered in terms of quality-of-life decrements for one year. Baseline hospitalization and mortality risks were taken from a Swedish, nationwide, uniquely granular, Omicron-era, real-world study. NMV/r effectiveness were taken from an Omicron-era US real-world study. Remaining inputs were informed by previous COVID-19 studies and publicly available Swedish sources. Results The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) showed a large variation ranging from almost nine million SEK for some of the youngest cohorts to being dominant (i.e. cost-saving with higher gains in quality-of-life vs standard of care) for twelve elderly cohorts. In general, higher age in combination with non-recent (>180 days) or no vaccination led to lower ICERs. Specifically, NMV/r was cost-effective for all but one patient cohorts at least 70 years old, and for most patient cohorts 60–69 years old. Limitations As the COVID-19 landscape changes, symptom burden and baseline risks constantly change. Thus, the cost-effectiveness of NMV/r will change with time. However, the future risks could be related to the risks in the current study, and thus remain useful for decision makers. Conclusions This study shows that NMV/r is a cost-effective or even cost-saving treatment option for many patient cohorts, including most elderly and not-recently vaccinated patients with at least some comorbidity burden.

Should Scotland provide genome-wide sequencing for the diagnosis of rare developmental disorders? A cost-effectiveness analysis.

This study aims to evaluate the cost effectiveness of genetic and genomic testing strategies for the diagnosis of rare developmental disorders in NHS Scotland. Six genetic and genomic testing strategies were evaluated using a decision tree model. First-line, second-line and last-resort trio genome sequencing (GS), and second-line and last-resort trio exome sequencing (ES) were compared with standard genetic testing. The cost effectiveness of each strategy was expressed in terms of incremental cost per additional diagnosis. The impact of uncertainty on cost-effectiveness results was explored using deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. 2nd-line ES was a cost-saving option, increasing diagnostic yield by 13.9% and decreasing cost by £1027 per trio compared to standard genetic testing. Compared to ES, strategies involving GS increased costs significantly, with only a moderate or zero improvement in diagnostic yield. Sensitivity analysis indicated that significant reductions in cost or improvements in diagnostic yield are required before 1st-line GS becomes cost effective. 2nd-line ES (after chromosomal microarray; replacing gene panel testing) for the diagnosis of developmental disorders is a cost-saving option for the Scottish NHS. Ongoing economic evaluation is required to monitor the evolving cost and diagnostic yield of GS and ES over time.

Cost comparison analysis of continuous versus intermittent antimicrobial therapy infusions in inpatient and outpatient care: real-world data from Finland

ObjectiveThis study compared the costs and nursing time associated with the delivery of continuous infusion of antibiotics via elastomeric infusion pumps (EIP) versus conventional intermittent infusion (CII) across different care...

Cost-effectiveness analysis comparing single-pill combination of perindopril/amlodipine/indapamide to the free equivalent combination in patients with hypertension from an Italian national health system perspective

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a single-pill combination (SPC) of perindopril/amlodipine/indapamide versus its free equivalent combination (FEC) in adults with hypertension in Italy. Methods A Markov model was developed to perform a cost-utility analysis with a lifetime horizon and an Italian healthcare payer’s perspective. In the model, the additional effect of the SPC on blood pressure level compared with the FEC was translated into a decreased risk of cardiovascular events and CKD, which was modeled via Framingham risk algorithms. Difference in persistence rates of SPC and FEC were modeled via discontinuation rates. Results A perindopril/amlodipine/indapamide SPC is associated with lower cost and better health outcomes compared to its FEC. Over a lifetime horizon, it is associated with a 0.050 QALY gain and cost savings of €376, resulting from lower cardiovascular event rates. In the alternative scenario, where different approach for modeling impact of adherence was considered, incremental gain of 0.069 QALY and savings of €1,004 were observed. Results were robust to sensitivity and scenario analyses, indicating that use of this SPC is a cost-effective strategy. Conclusions The findings indicate that a perindopril/amlodipine/indapamide SPC is a cost-saving treatment option for hypertension in Italy, compared to its FEC.

The burden of systemic therapy administration route in treating HER2-positive breast cancer (for patients, healthcare professionals, and healthcare system): a systematic literature review.

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the leading causes of cancer and is the first cause of death from malignant tumors among women worldwide. New cancer therapies receive regulatory approval yearly and to avoid health disparities in society, the health systems are challenged to adapt their infrastructure, methodologies, and reimbursement policies to allow broad access to these treatments. In addition, listening to patients' voices about their therapy preferences is essential. We aim to investigate the administration route preferences [subcutaneous (SC) or intravenous (IV)] among patients diagnosed with HER2 positive BC and healthcare professionals (HCPs) and to investigate healthcare resources utilization (quality and quantity) for each route of administration (SC or IV) for treating those patients. We conducted a systematic literature review focused on clinical trials and observational and economic studies, using PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane Library, Virtual Health Library (VHL), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) databases based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. The literature review included 25 studies in the analysis. Studies have reported that patients and HCPs prefer the SC route of administration to IV because it saves time in terms of chair time, administration, and preparation and is less painful. In addition, SC administration might be a more cost-saving option when analyzing direct and indirect costs. As BC stands as a significant global health concern and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide, understanding and incorporating patient and HCPs preferences in the choice of administration route become paramount. The observed preference for SC administration not only aligns with the imperative of adapting health systems to facilitate broad access to new cancer therapies but also underscores the importance of considering patient experiences and economic implications in shaping treatment strategies. These insights are crucial for healthcare policymakers, clinicians, and stakeholders in optimizing healthcare resources and enhancing the overall quality of BC care.

Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Ranibizumab Biosimilar for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and its Subtypes from the Societal and Patient Perspectives in Japan.

This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies for subtypes of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) from the societal perspective, and for any nAMD from the patient perspective in Japan. A Markov model was developed to simulate the lifetime transitions of a cohort of patients with nAMD through various health states based on the involvement of nAMD, the treatment status, and decimal best-corrected visual acuity. Ranibizumab biosimilar was compared with aflibercept from the societal perspective regardless of treatment regimen for the analysis of three subtypes (typical nAMD, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), and retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP)). Two analyses from the patient perspective focusing on the treat-and-extend regimens were performed, one with a cap on patients' copayments and one without. Ranibizumab biosimilar was compared with branded ranibizumab, aflibercept, aflibercept as the loading dose switching to ranibizumab biosimilar during maintenance (aflibercept switching to ranibizumab biosimilar), and best supportive care (BSC), for patients with any nAMD. In the subtype analyses, ranibizumab biosimilar when compared with aflibercept resulted in incremental quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of - 0.015, 0.026, and 0.009, and the incremental costs of Japanese yen (JPY) - 50,447, JPY - 997,243, and JPY - 1,286,570 for typical nAMD, PCV, and RAP, respectively. From the patient perspective, ranibizumab biosimilar had incremental QALYs of 0.015, 0.009, and 0.307, compared with aflibercept, aflibercept switching to ranibizumab biosimilar, and BSC, respectively. The incremental costs for ranibizumab biosimilar over a patient lifetime excluding the cap on copayment were estimated to be JPY - 138,948, JPY - 391,935, JPY - 209,099, and JPY - 6,377,345, compared with branded ranibizumab, aflibercept, aflibercept switching to ranibizumab biosimilar, and BSC, respectively. Ranibizumab biosimilar was demonstrated as a cost-saving option compared to aflibercept across all subtypes of nAMD, irrespective of the perspectives considered.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of acalabrutinib in treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory form of mantle cell lymphoma who previously received at least one line of therapy

Objective: to conduct a clinical and economic study of acalabrutinib for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory form of mantle cell lymphoma who previously received at least one line of therapy in the Russian Federation.Material and methods. Acalabrutinib and ibrutinib were considered as compared treatment options. Based on the adjusted indirect comparison, they were found to be comparable in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival. Therefore, a cost minimization analysis method was selected for the study. Based on results of ACE-LY-004 clinical trial a distributed survival model was developed. The model was used to calculate drug costs over a 3-year horizon. To explore uncertainty in the results of economic evaluations we conducted a sensitivity analysis. A number of patients in the hypothetical cohort who could be further treated with a less expensive drug was determined during a missed opportunity analysis. Both mean life years gained and mean progression-free life years were calculated too.Results. Based on simulations over a 3-year horizon, the mean life years gained were 2.45, and the mean progression-free life years were 1.75. The average costs of acalabrutinib therapy both over 1 year and in total over 3 years were 36.6% lower compared to ibrutinib. So, in the 1st year, the costs for acalabrutinib were 3,546,237,60 rubles, for ibrutinib – 5,591,391,00 rubles (a difference of 2,045,153,40 rubles). Using acalabrutinib for 3 years was associated with costs of 7,252,980,60 rubles compared to 11,435,852,60 rubles for ibrutinib (a decrease of 4,182,872,00 rubles). Univariate multi-way sensitivity analysis showed the robustness of modeling results to price fluctuations in the range ±10%. For a hypothetical cohort of 100 patients, using acalabrutinib instead of the more expensive ibrutinib within the same budget will provide therapy to additional 57 patients per year.Conclusion. The results of the study demonstrated that acalabrutinib compared to ibrutinib for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/ refractory form of mantle cell lymphoma can reduce costs for the 1st year of therapy by 2,045,153,40 rubles (36.6%), and by 4,182,872,00 rubles (36.6%) for 3 years. Thus, acalabrutinib is the cost-saving option for previously treated adult patients with relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma in the Russian Federation.

The Impact of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation on Health Care Costs and Clinical Outcomes Based on Frailty Risk: A Nationwide Cohort Analysis

BackgroundTranscatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is preferred for treating severe aortic stenosis in older, frail populations, yet the impact of frailty on economic and clinical outcomes of TAVI is not well studied. MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included 2175 TAVI patients from 2015 to 2019, using Korea's National Health Insurance Service database, stratifying patients into low, intermediate, and high-frailty groups, using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS). Health care costs, admissions, and total length of hospitalization were analyzed using Wilcoxon-rank test 12 months pre- and post-TAVI. Composite endpoint of death, stroke, and major bleeding, with individual outcomes, were compared using χ2 tests and Kaplan-Meier analysis. ResultsMean age was 80.2 years, and 47.3% were male; 747 (34.3%) were low frailty, 1159 (53.3%) were moderate frailty, and 269 (12.4%) were high frailty. After TAVI, medical costs decreased in the intermediate- (pre-TAVI: 2,269,000 KRW [$1668 USD], post-TAVI: 1,607,000 KRW [$1181 USD]; P < 0.001) and high-frailty groups (pre-TAVI: 3,949,000 KRW [$2904 USD], post-TAVI: 2,188,000 KRW [$1609 USD]; P < 0.001). All frailty groups had shorter length of hospital stay post-TAVI (26 to 21 days in the low-frailty, 44 to 31 days in the intermediate-frailty, and 65 to 41 days in the high-frailty group; all P <0.001). The composite outcome was higher in the frailer groups (27.8% in the low-frailty vs 31.5% in the intermediate-frailty vs 37.9% in the high-frailty group; P = 0.008). All groups showed comparable rates of cardiovascular death, stroke, or bleeding. ConclusionsTAVI is clinically viable and cost-saving treatment option for frail patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Cost-effectiveness Analysis of COMT-inhibitors as Adjuvant Treatments to Levodopa in Patients with Advanced Parkinson's Disease

PurposeWe aimed to elicit scientific evidence on the cost-effectiveness of two catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors (COMT-i) versus no COMT-i in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. MethodsA mixed model of the decision tree and a Markov model with three health states by OFF-time level (<25%, ≥25%, and death) was constructed to compare opicapone (OPC), entacapone (ENT), and no COMT-i over a lifetime. A hypothetical cohort of 10,000 patients was created and simulated based on the characteristics of the BIPARK trial subjects. FindingsTwo COMT-i (OPC and ENT) were identified as a cost-effective option compared to no COMT-i. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that over 90% of the simulations proved the robust cost-effectiveness of COMT-i. When the time horizon as the most influential factor decreases to a 5- and 10-year period, COMT-i can be a cost-saving option. Although ENT may be the preferred option over OPC economically because of its lower price, OPC can be acceptable if the drug price is reduced by 17%. ImplicationsAdd-on treatment with COMT-i in patients with PD receiving levodopa/carbidopa appears to be cost-saving compared with not using COMT-i. In the future, it is necessary to evaluate the economic evaluation of COMT-i based on long-term real-world evidence.

Health economic evaluation of 2-dose and 3-dose rotavirus vaccines in children below 5 years of age in Morocco

ABSTRACT Following the introduction of rotavirus vaccination into the Moroccan National Immunization Program, the prevalence of the disease has decreased by nearly 50%. However, evidence on the economic value of rotavirus vaccinations in Morocco is limited. This health economic analysis evaluated, from both country payer and societal perspectives, the costs and the cost-effectiveness of three rotavirus vaccines using a static, deterministic, population model in children aged < 5 years in Morocco. Included vaccines were HRV (2-dose schedule), HBRV (3-dose schedule) and BRV-PV 1-dose vial (3-dose schedule). One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the impact of uncertainty in model inputs. The model predicted that vaccination with HRV was estimated to result in fewer rotavirus gastroenteritis events (−194 homecare events, −57 medical visits, −8 hospitalizations) versus the 3-dose vaccines, translating into 7 discounted quality-adjusted life years gained over the model time horizon. HRV was associated with lower costs versus HBRV from both the country payer (−$1.8 M) and societal (−$4.1 M) perspectives, and versus BRV-PV 1-dose vial from the societal perspective (−$187,000), dominating those options in the cost-effectiveness analysis. However, costs of BRV-PV 1-dose vial were lower than HRV from the payer perspective, resulting in an ICER of approximately $328,376 per QALY, above the assumed cost effectiveness threshold of $3,500. Vaccination with a 2-dose schedule of HRV may be a cost-saving option and could lead to better health outcomes for children in Morocco versus 3-dose schedule rotavirus vaccines.

Substantial cost savings of ultrasound-based management over magnetic resonance imaging-based management in an inflammatory bowel disease service

Background Imaging is used to monitor disease activity in small bowel Crohn’s disease (CD). Magnetic Resonance Enterography is often employed as a first modality in the United Kingdom for assessment and monitoring; however, waiting times, cost, patient burden and limited access are significant. It is as yet uncertain if small bowel intestinal ultrasound (IUS) may be a quicker, more acceptable, and cheaper alternative for monitoring patients with CD. Methods A clinical service evaluation of imaging pathways was undertaken at a single NHS site in England, United Kingdom. Data were collected about patients who were referred and underwent an imaging analysis for their IBD. Only patients who underwent a therapy change were included in the analysis. Data were collected from care episodes between 01 January 2021–30 March 2022. Results A combined total of 193 patient care episodes were reviewed, 107 from the IUS pathway and 86 from the MRE pathway. Estimated costs per patient in the IUS pathway was £78.86, and £375.35 per patient in the MRE pathway. The MRE pathway had an average time from referral to treatment initiation of 91 days (SD= ±61) with patients in the IUS pathway waiting an average of 46 days (SD= ±17). Conclusions Findings from this work indicate that IUS is a potential cost-saving option when compared to MRE when used in the management of CD. This is in addition to the cost difference of the radiological modalities. A large, multicentre, prospective study is needed to validate these initial findings.

Cost-utility analysis of pharmacogenomics-guided tacrolimus treatment in Austrian kidney transplant recipients participating in the U-PGx PREPARE study.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health issue. Kidney failure patients may undergo a kidney transplantation (KTX) and prescribed an immunosuppressant medication i.e., tacrolimus. Tacrolimus' efficacy and toxicity varies among patients. This study investigates the cost-utility of pharmacogenomics (PGx) guided tacrolimus treatment compared to the conventional approach in Austrian patients undergone KTX, participating in the PREPARE UPGx study. Treatment's effectiveness was determined by mean survival, and utility values were based on a Visual Analog Scale score. Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio was also calculated. PGx-guided treatment arm was found to be cost-effective, resulting in reduced cost (3902 euros less), 6% less hospitalization days and lower risk of adverse drug events compared to the control arm. The PGx-guided arm showed a mean 0.900 QALYs (95% CI: 0.862-0.936) versus 0.851 QALYs (95% CI: 0.814-0.885) in the other arm. In conclusion, PGx-guided tacrolimus treatment represents a cost-saving option in the Austrian healthcare setting.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of sodium zirconium cyclosilicate for hyperkalemia among patients with chronic kidney disease or heart failure in Kuwait

Introduction Our model was conducted from Kuwaiti payer’s perspective to provide evidence on the cost-effectiveness of Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC) versus patiromer to correct and maintain serum potassium (K+) in combination with renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASis) with different dose titration in patients with chronic kidney disease/heart failure (CKD/HF) with/without renal replacement therapy (RRT). Methodology The model was developed as a patient-level, fixed-time increment stochastic simulation to simulate the complexity of disease, including multiple coexisting and competing conditional risks. This model was established to compare SZC versus patiromer as a treatment for hyperkalemia (HK) among adult populations with underlying conditions of advanced CKD stages 3a–5 or HF to correct and maintain serum K + over a lifetime horizon. The clinical outcomes of SZC and patiromer were demonstrated through arm-specific K + trajectories extracted from the HARMONIZE trial and OPAL-HK trial, respectively. The utility data was captured from different studies. Direct medical cost was captured from local data from Kuwaiti hospitals. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the uncertainty in the model. Results Within different scenarios of CKD/HF, SZC was a cost-saving option, with/without RRT, whether one-off administration or repeated administration, except for one-off treatment administration among the HF cohort, which generated an incremental cost effectiveness ratio of KWD 331/quality adjusted life year (QALY). The incremental QALY of SZC ranged from 0.007 to 0.202. In addition, the savings observed with SZC fall within a range of KWD −60 to KWD −1,235 at serum K+ ≥ 5.1 mmol/L. Conclusion The evidence generated by our model recommends the inclusion of SZC as a treatment option to correct HK and maintain normal serum K + level for CKD/HF patients within the Kuwaiti healthcare system. The costs saved from reducing frequent HK episodes, RAASis discontinuation/down titration, major cardiovascular events, and hospitalization offset the drug acquisition cost of SZC.

Identification of novel serological agents for porcine deltacoronavirus infection based on the immunogenic accessory protein NS6

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is a swine enteropathogenic CoV that causes severe vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration in suckling piglets, leading to economic losses in the swine industry. There is a great need for a convenient method to detect circulating antibodies and help in accurate diagnosis and disease control. Previously, we demonstrated that a unique PDCoV accessory protein, NS6, is expressed during PDCoV infection in pigs and is incorporated into PDCoV virions; thus, we deduced that NS6 is likely an immunogenic target that can be used for the diagnosis of PDCoV infection. In this study, we first confirmed that NS6 is immunogenic in PDCoV-infected pigs by performing a serum western blot. Furthermore, we developed a novel NS6-based indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) method and compared it to an established S1-based iELISA for the survey of anti-PDCoV IgG or IgA in pigs of different ages in China. The NS6-iELISA has high specificity for the detection of IgG antibodies and no cross-reactivity with other porcine enteric CoVs (transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, or swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus). This NS6 serology-based method has great sensitivity and good repeatability, making it a new and cost-saving option for the rapid diagnosis and immunosurveillance of PDCoV, which may also be important for the prevention and control of deltacoronavirus-related infection in pigs and other animals.

Cost Analysis of Outpatient Colectomy in a Tertiary Center: A Projected Medico-Economic Evaluation

Aim of the study: Short stay processes are incentives to unburden chronically stressed healthcare systems. The aim of this study is to analyze financial implications of day admission (DAS) and outpatient strategies for colon resections in a prospective payment system (PPS) using Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) coding. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing left and right colonic resections between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020 were included. Medico-economic evaluations of the virtual outpatient and day admission surgery groups based on predefined criteria were compared to the identical group of patients who underwent surgery in the actual traditional inpatient setting. In a second step, postoperative complications of the virtual outpatient group were assessed. Cost-revenue analysis was performed using a micro-costing approach including direct medical costs. Results: Overall (N = 257), 97 (37.7%) colectomies would have been potentially eligible for an outpatient strategy. The global costs of the actual inpatient strategy totaled USD 3 634 392 with a global revenue of USD 3 571 069, corresponding to a cost coverage rate of 98%. The result of the virtual DAS strategy would have been a net loss of USD 15 800 (coverage rate of 99%) due to 4 low length of stay outliers triggering a reimbursement reduction and preventing a positive net result of USD 16 208. The pilot reference outpatient case’s revenue and cost amounted to respectively USD 7479 and USD 6911 (cost coverage of 108%). Conclusion: From both any given hospital and healthcare system point of view, elective outpatient colectomy for selected patients is the most cost-saving option. However, in a prospective payment system implemented to avoid bad incentives, the latter can unintentionally disadvantage best performing hospitals and impede widespread adoption of high-value strategies.

Cost-Effective, Implant-Free, All-Suture Modified Subpectoral Biceps Tenodesis Technique

Tendinopathy and partial tears of the long head of the biceps tendon are a common cause of anterior shoulder pain and are often associated with many other shoulder pathologies. Multiple open and arthroscopic tenodesis techniques exist in the literature, with varying locations along the proximal humerus and a multitude of different implants. This article describes a cost-effective, implant-free, subpectoral biceps tenodesis technique that can be used as open or in conjunction with arthroscopy. Our technique differs from other tunnel techniques in its modified docking configuration into the intraosseous canal, decreasing stresses at the bone-tendon interface. With the cost amounting to 5% to 10% of techniques using implants, this is a cost-saving and reliable option for tenodesis.

Canine induced pluripotent stem cells can be successfully maintained in weekend-free culture systems

Canine induced pluripotent stem cells (ciPSCs) can provide useful insights into novel therapies in both veterinary and medical fields. However, limited accessibility to the present culture medium and requirement of considerable time, effort, and cost for routine ciPSC maintenance restrict advancement in ciPSC research. In addition, it is unknown whether ciPSC culture conditions influence differentiation propensity. We investigated the availability of the common human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) culture systems for ciPSC maintenance and the differentiation propensities of the ciPSCs maintained in these culture systems. StemFlex and mTeSR Plus supported PSC-like colony formation and pluripotency markers expression in ciPSCs even after five passages. Additionally, ciPSCs were maintained under weekend-free culture conditions with a stable growth rate, pluripotency marker expression, and differentiation abilities using vitronectin (VTN-N) and Geltrex. Following maintenance of spontaneously differentiated ciPSCs under various conditions by embryoid body formation, there were few differences in the differentiation propensities of ciPSCs among the tested culture conditions. Thus, ciPSCs were successfully cultured under weekend-free conditions for ciPSC maintenance using StemFlex or mTeSR Plus with VTN-N or Geltrex. The present study offers simpler and more effort-, time-, and cost-saving options for ciPSC culture systems, which may lead to further development in research using ciPSCs.

Cost-minimization analysis comparing subcutaneous trastuzumab at home with intravenous trastuzumab for HER2-positive breast cancer in Singapore.

Trastuzumab (Herceptin) can be administered intravenously (IV Herceptin) and subcutaneously, with similar efficacy and safety, but with differences in dosage and costs. Previous studies have evaluated the costs of both treatment approaches in the outpatient settings, but no study has compared the costs of IV Herceptin administered in outpatients with subcutaneous Herceptin administered at patients' homes (Homecare SC Herceptin). This study aimed to compare the per-patient costs of Homecare SC Herceptin versus IV Herceptin administered in a healthcare institution's outpatient setting in Singapore. We performed a model-based cost-minimization analysis to estimate and compare the per-patient annual costs associated with each treatment modality from a societal perspective. Direct cost comprised healthcare resources utilization: drug, consumables, manpower, facility and cardiac assessment. Indirect cost was valued using a human capital approach to account for productivity lost by patients. Monte Carlo simulations with 1000 iterations were performed to account for parameter uncertainties. Costs were reported in 2023 Singapore dollars. The annual societal cost per patient receiving IV Herceptin ranged from S$64,194 to S$65,135, while for Homecare SC Herceptin, it ranged from S$25,865 to S$26,807. Homecare SC Herceptin reduced the annual cost burden by 58.8% and 59.7%, per non-metastatic and metastatic breast cancer patient, respectively. The primary cost contributor was drug therapy, comprising more than 90% of the total cost. Even when excluding the cost of drugs, Homecare SC Herceptin remained cheaper by S$1912 annually. The cost reduction is approximately 60% compared to IV Herceptin regardless of disease status, with a 100% probability that the decision to adopt Homecare SC Herceptin leads to cost savings in Singapore. Treatment of breast cancer with Homecare SC Herceptin is a cost-saving option compared to IV Herceptin.

Cost Effectiveness of Bariatric Surgical Treatment Methods: A Systematic Review

Obesity has become an epidemic today and has become one of the important public health problems. Pharmacological treatment, exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy, medical nutrition and bariatric surgery are used in the treatment of obesity. The aim of this study was to systematically identify and evaluate the national and international literature on the cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery methods. In this context, a systematic search of electronic databases was conducted. Screening, data extraction, and critical assessment of methodological quality were evaluated according to the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) were interpreted using the outcome measure. A total of 448 articles were accessed and the full text of 164 articles was analysed. Within the framework of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 20 articles were included in the study. According to the studies in the literature, bariatric surgery is a low-cost or cost-saving treatment option in the long term. There is limited evidence about the long-term clinical effects and safety of bariatric surgery. Therefore, further studies in this context will significantly contribute to the results of cost-effectiveness studies.

Cost-Effectiveness of Long-Term Prophylaxis with Plasma-Derived Vs. Recombinant Von Willebrand Factor in Severe Von Willebrand Disease

Introduction: von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder and exhibits significant variability in bleeding phenotype across patients. International guidelines conditionally recommend long-term prophylaxis to reduce bleeding events for patients with a severe phenotype: all patients with type 3 VWD and a subset of patients with severe phenotypes of types 1 and 2 VWD. At the time of this conditional recommendation, only 10% of patients with severe VWD are treated prophylactically, unlike patients with severe hemophilia (~45%). In the United States, there are currently two approved factor replacement therapies: plasma-derived von Willebrand factor (pdVWF) and recombinant von Willebrand factor (rVWF). The cost-effectiveness of prophylaxis options for patients with VWD in the United States is not known. We sought to fill this gap by determining the cost-effectiveness of pdVWF versus rVWF prophylaxis treatment options for patients with severe VWD. Methods: In this independent analysis free of industry influence, we constructed a Markov model of adult patients with severe VWD to compare the cost-effectiveness of long-term prophylaxis with pdVWF versus rVWF. Transition probabilities for patients' breakthrough bleeding events while on prophylaxis with each factor replacement product, and product utilization, were derived from an open-label, prospective, phase 3 clinical trial that employed a pdVWF versus rVWF switch design (NCT 02973087). Costs of prophylaxis and costs of VWD-specific breakthrough bleed health resource utilization in the United States (US) accounted for bleed category, severity, and bleed-specific mortality, and were sourced from previously published literature and the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services. For effectiveness measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALY), utilities for patients with severe VWD on prophylaxis were informed from EQ-5D-specific utility data for patients with severe hemophilia on prophylaxis. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) or the incremental net monetary benefit (iNMB) if the intervention (rVWF) was found to be cost-saving, reported over a lifetime time-horizon across a range of accepted willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds in US dollars per QALY. The two secondary outcomes were threshold analyses for 1) the breakthrough bleed rate and 2) frequency of infusions necessary for the non-favored product (i.e., in the base-case) to become favored. In addition, we conducted a scenario analysis assuming the non-significant reduction in bleeding with rVWF (0.55 [95% confidence interval 0.086-3.523]) otherwise nullified in the base-case analysis, was significant. We proceeded with deterministic sensitivity analyses, varying all parameter estimates across the largest of their known 95% confidence intervals or +/-20% of absolute value. We concluded with a probabilistic sensitivity analysis, capturing uncertainty in all parameters simultaneously over 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations. Results: In the base-case, treatment with prophylactic pdVWF versus prophylactic rVWF yielded discounted lifetime costs of $21.2 million and $19.8 million, with both accruing 20.6 discounted QALYs. The average incremental net monetary benefit across accepted WTP thresholds of $50,000-$150,000/QALY was $1.38 million [95% credible interval $1.10-1.67 million], in favor of rVWF. Deterministic sensitivity analysis showed that the model was most sensitive to the frequency and cost of pdVWF infusions. In all three probabilistic sensitivity analyses across all WTP thresholds, rVWF was favored over pdVWF in 100% of 10,000 Monte Carlo iterations. Threshold analyses revealed that 1) the bleeding rate on pdVWF prophylaxis would have to reduce by at least 43% and, 2) the average frequency of pdVWF infusions would need to decrease from 3 to 2.75 infusions per week for pdVWF to be favored over rVWF prophylaxis. Scenario analysis revealed similar significant improvement in incremental net monetary benefit with rVWF. Conclusion: Twice-weekly rVWF versus thrice-weekly pdVWF demonstrated similar quality-adjusted life-expectancy, while rVWF was cost-saving due to its longer half-life requiring fewer lifetime infusions. At current pricing in the United States, prophylactic rVWF is a cost-saving option for patients averaging more than 2.75 weekly pdVWF infusions.